Welcome to InflexionPoint Podcast: Cultivating Change from the Inside Out

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Creating a Brave Space for Conversations about Personal Transformation, Racism, and Accountability

Enter a brave space to ponder solving The Cairo Question. Engage in dialogue based on the premise that dismantling racism goes beyond laws and legislation or politics or economics. It’s an inside job where personal transformation and accountability impact social change in multiple dimensions: individual, interpersonal, systemic, and structural. It’s a place to get comfortable with deconstructing your inner thoughts, ideas, and beliefs to examine what flows out into the world through your words, actions, and behaviors, particularly towards others who are different from yourself.

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WATCH OUR PODCAST VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE

Earlier podcast videos are listed below. For August through December 2023 and the most recent podcasts in 2024, please visit our YouTube Podcast Library.

July 19, 2023 <> The Sankofa Generational Leadership Continuum Series

The Sankofa Leadership Continuum is a throughline running from historical leaders of the past to contemporary leaders of the present to those who will emerge as future leaders. Melding together historical and contemporary reality, this through-line inspires activism, art, literature, ethnography, and research to fuel transformation. Question: How do we apply generational leadership as a grassroots resistance strategy that serves to disrupt systemic and institutional racism?

July 5, 2023 <> THE SANKOFA LEADERSHIP CONTINUUM FEATURING NATHANIEL LEE FLETCHER

Conversation: How does the Ghanian principle of Sankofa empower generational leadership?
In this continuing series on generational leadership we introduced the Sankofa Leadership Continuum, defined as a through-line running from historical leaders of the past to contemporary leaders of the present to emerging leaders of the future. This episode features Mr. Nathaniel Lee Fletcher, recent graduate from Waynesburg University with a BA in Biblical and Ministry Studies. He is currently working as an urban missionary through Urban Impact in the North Side area of Pittsburgh PA. Nate looks to make an impact with at-risk children within a holistic ministry setting. Kudos to Generational Leader, Nathaniel Fletcher!

June 21, 2023 <> THE SANKOFA LEADERSHIP CONTINUUM

The Conversation Continues: How does the Ghanian principle of Sankofa empower generational leadership? This episode features Mr. Ja’Quan Lavender, Founder/Executive Director of the Ja’Quan Lavender Foundation: Journey to Gold. The Journey to GOLD program was established to support the Great Opportunities Lifts Dreams philosophy! Ja’Quan is a dedicated contemporary leader whose heart is focused on social transformation for the benefit of furture generations.

June 7, 2023 <> ACTIVATING THE SANKOFA LEADERSHIP CONTINUUM

How does the Ghanian principle of Sankofa empower generational leadership?
In this new series on generational leadership we introduce the Sankofa Leadership Continuum, defined as a through-line running from historical leaders of the past to contemporary leaders of the present to emergent leaders of the future. Melding together historical and contemporary reality, this through-line inspires activism, art, literature, ethnography, and research that fuels transformation.

May 17, 2023 <> “Thoughts and Prayers” Just Idle Lamentations Without a Clear Path to Action?

It sometime feels as if America’s triple threat of fear, racism, and guns has lulled some of us into idle lamentations that preclude any meaningful action toward gun reform. According to the New York Times, other countries have had a mass shootings and subsequently changed their gun laws. Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, all with a culture of gun ownership, tightened restrictions anyway. Their violence statistics now diverge sharply from those of the U.S.

May 3, 2023 <> America’s Triple Threat: Fear. Racism. Guns.

Join the conversation with Anita, Mavis, and Gail as they dig deep into America’s triple threat of fear, racism, and guns based on recent articles in the news.

Apr 19, 2023 <> Author Talk–I’m Tired of Racism

An Exciting Conversation with Our Esteemed Guest Sharon Hurley Hall! Sharon is an anti-racism activist, educator, and in-demand speaker. Firmly committed to doing her part to eliminate racism, she is the Founder and Curator-in-Chief of Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter. Sharon is also a Co-Founder of Mission Equality and the author of I’m Tired of Racism and Exploring Shadeism.

Apr 5, 2023 <> Book Talk–True Stories of Existing While Black

Antiracism Mastermind Group Book Talk. I’m Tired of Racism: True Stories of Existing While Black written by Sharon Hurley Hall, antiracism activist, writer, and educator. Sharon Hurley Hall is an anti-racism activist, educator, and in-demand speaker. Firmly committed to doing her part to eliminate racism, she is the Founder and Curator-in-Chief of Sharon’s Anti-Racism Newsletter. In her newsletter, Sharon writes about existing while Black in majority-white spaces, and amplifies the voices of other anti-racism activists. Sharon is also a Co-Founder of Mission Equality and the author of I’m Tired of Racism: True Stories of Existing While Black and Exploring Shadeism.

Sharon has lived and worked in multiple countries, enabling her to accurately reflect what’s the same and what’s different about experiences of racism in different locations. So, if you’re wondering how you can be a true ally and avoid performative nonsense, this book is an excellent starting point. Join the Antiracism Mastermind Group discussion Part 1 with Anita, Mavis, and Gail on April 5. Then come back for Part 2 on April 19 when Sharon joins Anita, Mavis, and Gail live for a more immersive conversation into her true stories of existing while Black.

Mar 15, 2023 <> What Are You Doing to Embrace Equity?

Embracing equity isn’t just about what we say or write about. International Women’s Day (IWD) is the “celebration of social, economic, cultural and political achievement of women” and has been observed since the early 1900s. It’s a collective movement felt and activated around the world.

The theme for International Women’s Day 2023 is Embrace Equity. Equity is not something that should be up for debate. It is something we all need to think about, to learn about, to value, and to embrace. Equity should be a part of our individual and collective belief systems, conversations, and actions. It means creating a truly inclusive world. So, the question is what are you doing to embrace equity and contribute to (re)imagining a different future and a different world?

Mar 1, 2023 <> The Sting of Adultification Bias Felt By Black Girls

Why are Black girls treated more harshly by schools and the juvenile justice system than White girls who behave the same way? A study from the Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality suggests a contributing cause: the “adultification” of black girls. The report, Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood, found that adults viewed black girls “as less innocent and more adult-like than white girls of the same age, especially between 5–14 years old.”

Feb 15, 2023 <> Engaging in Authentic Conversation about Race and Racism Requires Listening, Not Rebuttal

The Art of Conversation. Active/Intentional Listening. What Do You Trust, Statistics, Lived Experiences, or Both?
At InflexionPoint Podcast we are dedicated to the art of listening in authentic conversation. We challenge our audience to listen actively and intentionally for the purpose of learning, understanding, and taking action. Moreover we strive towards increasing historical and racial literacy by harmonizing historical truth with lived experiences. Everything rises up out of the 4 tenets of Antiracism Activation: courage, conversation, relationship, and accountability. Join Anita, Mavis, and Gail for yet another thought-provoking episode of InflexionPoint Podcast.

Feb 1, 2023 <> Message to White Women in America

Theme of the Conversation: Racial Literacy. This definition of racial literacy is from National Council of Teachers of English (NCTA) – Racial literacy is a skill and practice by which individuals can probe the existence of racism and examine the effects of race and institutionalized systems on their experiences and representation in US society.

Jan 18, 2023 <> Tribute to Phangisile Mtshali

Mourning a Global Citizen–On January 4, 2023 Phangisile Mtshali was killed in Estcourt, South Africa. We dedicate this episode to her as a deeply rooted humanitarian, a family and community icon, bold leader, and a dear friend, sister, and colleague to many throughout the world. Phangisile embodied the true spirit of a Global Citizen.

On December 21, 2022 InflexionPoint Podcast featured a powerful guest and dear friend, Phangisile Mtshali from South Africa. We had an in-depth conversation about the historical plight of Black South African farmers, which in many ways is similar to the historical plight of Black farmers in the United States. This is evident when you think of land as power and the role of the government in both nations.

Jan 4, 2023 <> The Need for Historical and Racial Literacy

Anita, Mavis, and Gail discuss the the first year of InflexionPoint Podcast in terms of the most personally impactful and transformational episodes. They describe the show as influential in terms of historical and racial literacy.

EARLIER PODCASTS ON YOUTUBE

Dec 21, 2022 <> Being Black Globally–The Plight of Black Farmers in South Africa, Part 4

Dec 7, 2022 <> Being Black Globally–The Plight of Black Farmers in South Africa

Nov 16, 2022 <> The Legacy of Black Farmers in New York State

Nov 3, 2022 <> The Plight of Black Farmers in the US

Oct 19, 2022 <> A Long Talk About An Uncomfortable Truth

Oct 5, 2022 <> Our First Year in Review. A Look Back and a Look Forward

Sep 21, 2022 <> Who Is Allison Gaines? And Why Should You Care?

Sep 9, 2022 <> Internalized Racism Definition and Reality

Aug 17, 2022 <> Fighting for Freedom Denied Part 3 – The Navy in Black and White

Aug 3, 2022 <> Juneteenth: A Cause for Celebration and a Need for Education, Part 2

Jul 20, 2022 <> Fighting for Freedom Denied–Military Transitions

Jul 6, 2022 <> Juneteenth: A Cause for Celebration and a Need for Education, Part 1

Jun 15, 2022 <> Being Black Globally, Featuring Rebecca Stevens Alder

Jun 1, 2022 <> Redlining: The Scourge of the American Scam

May 17, 2022 <> Being Black Globally. Musings of an Intellectual Brother

May 4, 2022 <> Racism Is a Disruptor of Health & Wellness Part 3

Apr 20, 2022 <> Racism Is a Disruptor of Health & Wellness Part 2

Apr 6, 2022 <> Racism Is a Disruptor of Health & Wellness

Mar 17, 2022 <> Exercising the Birthright to be Black and Female Anywhere

Mar 6, 2022 <> Being Black Globally
(Also published as If I Can’t Be Black in Africa Where Can I Be Black?)

Feb 16, 2022 <> Creating Identity Constructs, with guest Michael Williams, hailing from North Carolina

Feb 3, 2022 <> Identity and Personal Connections Across Multiple Decades

Feb 2, 2022 <> Identity and the Power of a Movement Part 2

Jan 31, 2022 <> Feature: Anita, Mavis, and Gail Featured on The Dr. Pat Show
Activism through Coaching Is a Grassroots Movement

Jan 19, 2022 <> Identity and Personal Connections Across 3 Decades

Jan 5, 2022 <> Movements in the Struggle for Identity

Dec 15, 2021 <> Identity Theft: Enslavement and the Power of (re)Naming

Dec 1, 2021 <> Who Among Us Is Free?

Nov 24, 2021 <> Identity and Birthright
Question of the Hour: How is birthright defined?

Nov 17, 2021 <> Evolution of the Cairo Question, Part 2

Nov 10, 2021 <> Evolution of the Cairo Question

Oct 20, 2021 <> A Brave Space for Conversation